Features1827 articles archived since 1845

The Men Behind the First U.S. Olympic Team

Kicked out of Harvard, these pioneering athletes were ahead of their time

A Single Brain Structure May Give Winners That Extra Physical Edge

An extraordinary insula helps elite athletes better anticipate their body's upcoming feelings, improving their physical reactions

Should Oscar Pistorius's Prosthetic Legs Disqualify Him from the Olympics?

Scientists debate whether prosthetic legs give Pistorius an unfair advantage in the 400-meter race

Have Lax Concealed-Carry Gun Laws Increased Assaults?

Gun-control laws have changed rapidly in recent years; how they affect crime rates is hotly debated

New Biomarkers Honed to Help Search for Life on Earth-like Exoplanets

Despite the cancellation of the Terrestrial Planet Finder telescope, astrobiologists are modeling possible chemical biomarkers that could be used to detect indicators of life on newfound worlds...

A Physicist on Everest: How Body and Mind Break Down at Elevation [Excerpt]

In his new book, physicist Francis Slakey recounts the myriad physical and mental challenges in summiting the world's highest peak

Time Shift: Is London's Big Ben Falling Down?

Rumors abound about the famous clock tower's imminent demise, blaming the 1999 construction of an underground train station. But those in the know say it ain't so

Storm Scents: It's True, You Can Smell Oncoming Summer Rain

Researchers have teased out the aromas associated with a rainstorm and deciphered the olfactory messages they convey

Does Thinking Really Hard Burn More Calories?

Unlike physical exercise, mental workouts probably do not demand significantly more energy than usual. Believing we have drained our brains, however, may be enough to induce weariness

Deep Spaces: Geometry Labs Bring Beautiful Math to the Masses [Slide Show]

They don't wear white coats or protective goggles, but mathematicians around the country have captured the imagination of students in ever more creative ways

Chat at 4:30 P.M. EDT on What Comes Next in Higgs Research

Join us for a live online chat about last week's Higgs news with physicist Michael Tuts of Columbia University. Tuts will help explain where physicists go from here

Snowmobile Trek across the Arctic Finds Natural and Human Changes

A snow scientist leaves the lab to venture 4,000 kilometers across the frozen North, in search of history and perspective

From Space to Soil in 7 Minutes [Slide Show]

Higgs Boson Revealed at CERN [Video]

Go behind the scenes at CERN for the historic July 4 announcement

Neither the Maya Calendar--nor the World--Ends on December 21, 2012

This year's doomsday angst owes much to public ignorance about pre-Columbian civilizations